When the Glass Breaks
by tikinottyki
Summary: Psych. So, what is the story between the time Lelouch loses and gains his memory? what is the inner turmoil Suzaku must face when he is forced to befriend the very one who destroyed his beloved country?
1. The Beginning of Doubt

Lelouch let out a muffled cry as I slammed him to the cold marble floor, holding his head down by a fistful of silky black hair. I dared not to look down to him, for fear of the Geass. But he had already used it on me, so why couldn't I face him? Why? My friend had become a murderer; who knew that a student could perform such evil deeds, all for the sake of justice? Maybe that was why I couldn't face him.

I looked up as the Emperor of Britannia glared down at me, a lowly Eleven. His eyes were the same as Lelouch's: cold, piercing… dark. "You're Majesty, I have brought Zero before you, the man who threatened your throne."

The Emperor's eyes hardened as he focused his glare to Lelouch, who strained against his bonds. "I knew you would be no good for anything," he began, his voice gruff. "I was right to toss you and your sister away before you had the chance to stab me in the back."

Lelouch… no, Zero wrenched his hair from my grasp, lifting up his head as she shouted, "Was Mother a disgrace too?! Is that why she was killed?! Because she gave birth to me and Nunnally?!"

Before he could say another word, I grabbed hold of his hair and brought his face with a crushing blow to the floor. "Shut up," I hissed.

Smirking, the Emperor took another step towards us, saying, "Your mother? She was disgraced when she gave birth to you and Nunnally… despicable children. Is this your way to repay me for preserving your worthless lives?"

I heard Lelouch grit his teeth before he replied. "I'd rather die than be kept alive by your pity," he growled.

An uncanny grin replaced the smirk. "Don't worry, my pity won't kill you. I'm sure a more fitting punishment will suit you better." The Emperor turned to me, calmly ordering, "Hold up his head and cover his left eye."

I obliged, yanking Lelouch's head up by his hair with one hand while spreading my fingers and palm across the left side of his accursed face with the other. I watched with loathing as his other eye widened, a mixture of hate and fear sparkling in the violet hue.

"Lelouch, from this day on, everything you once knew will become a lie; I will replace your recent memories, erasing Zero and the Black Knights," the Emperor sneered as a strange look come to his eyes. "As well as Nunnally."

I squared my jaw at the sound of Lelouch's pained screaming. "No! Don't take the last person I have left! Don't take Nunnally away from me!"

His cries were sincere, filled with hopelessness and pleading, but the Emperor paid not heed. As for me, my gut felt as if it had been wrenched from my body as Lelouch pleaded for his sister. Nunnally, I was sure, had nothing to do with Zero, so why was she being punished as well? What would happen to her when her cherished brother comes home? Then my eyes narrowed as my thoughts became clouded with hate.

_Did Euphemia plead like this before she was slaughtered by her brother's hand?_

Time stood still as the unknown occurred; I figured it was the Geass, but I had Lelouch's defective eye covered. Could it be…? I forced my gaze to the ground, afraid to look up to the Emperor's steel glare.

Then I noticed it: Lelouch had suddenly gone deathly quiet and still. My gaze shifted towards him, shocked at his limp appearance. His mouth hung slightly ajar and his open eye had dulled, half closed. If it weren't for the faint breath that escaped his lips, I would have taken him for dead.

"Kururugi, you can let go of him now," I heard the Emperor order as he turned away.

I released my hold, letting Lelouch collapse limply with a crack that emitted from his head hitting the floor. His unseeing eyes stared up at me, the abnormal hue now turned back into the same violet color as its partner.

Standing, I readjusted my jacket, coughing to attract the Emperor's attention. "My Lord, what further instructions do you have for me? Now that Zero's thought are dead, he is no longer a threat to your kingdom," I said hoarsely.

The Emperor looked to me over his shoulder, replying, "Place him in solitary confinement; he'll be coming around in an hour or two… Make sure he awakes to a warm welcome."

I bowed low, placing my fist over my chest in salute. "It shall be done." Kneeling beside Lelouch, I hoisted him up and slung his limp form over my shoulder like a rag doll. His heavy head jolted against my back with every step I took, and every once in a while, a soft mumble of pain escaped his throat.

Before I reached the wide doors, I stopped at the sound of the Emperor's voice:

"Kururugi, no one is to know of the Geass… it's our secret."

"Yes… You're Majesty…"


	2. The Fight Inside

The hallway in the prison quarters was long and narrow, the whitewash walls making the atmosphere stale. Even for a prison, there was a certain sense of cleanliness. Near the end of the hall, around a sharp corner and hidden from view of the main doors, was a lone cell, big enough for a bed, toilet, and occupant. As I punched in the code to open the barred door, several of the prisoners reached their calloused hands beyond the metal barrier and shouted out to me.

"Hey, you're that Honorary Britannian, right?" one called huskily. "What is a former Eleven like you doing outside of Area Eleven's borders?"

I glared at him from over my shoulder, saying, "My business is none of your concern."

A roar rang up from the prisoners. "What?! You're our kin!" one shouted.

"Acting high and mighty, are we?" another jeered.

Calmly reaching for the handle of the gun strapped to my hip, I muttered, "I would be doing the Emperor a favor to silence you… you understand this, correct?"

The prisoners went still at the threat, slinking away from the cold metal bars. Only the original speaker stood at his door, a quiet smirk on his face. "You would kill your own people? For the pleasure of the Emperor?"

The door to Lelouch's cell swung open with the last digit of the code entered. With contempt, I let him fall from my shoulder onto the stiff bed, his limp arm dangling off the side. I slammed the door shut, my fingers clenched tightly around the bar as I replied, "I would… if it brought peace."

The prisoner, scruffing his unkept hair with his fingers, sighed. "You're being hypocritical, boy. Ever since Britannia took Japan, we've endured nothing but war. There is no such thing as peace."

I gritted my teeth as his words pounded through my head. "Britannia didn't bring war. Zero did. More Japanese would be alive if it weren't for him." I shot a glare at Lelouch's limp form, my chest filling with a hate I only experienced once before. The prisoner noticed, his eye brow arching high.

"You hate the savior of Japan?"

I looked down to my fist clenched to my side. "He's no savior."

"He's the only one with enough back bone to go against Britannia."

"He killed Euphemia."

Shrug. "What concern is that to me?"

"I was her knight, and yet I couldn't protect her. Zero… he deserves to die. Look at the lives he took, both innocent and guilty."

"What did that kid do to be thrown in solitary confinement?" the prisoner asked, nodding to Lelouch. "Must have been something pretty bad."

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

"I'm going to die here anyway."

I turned away from him, facing the center of the hall towards the thick door that separated the prisoners from society. "I'll only say this: Zero will no longer be a terror in Japan."

The prisoner's eyes shifted from me to Lelouch, his lips spreading into a sneer. "So… a kid was able to turn the tables on Britannia?"

Taking my gun from my hip, I held it up to the man, my fingers steady. "See? Now I have to kill you."

Lelouch's eyes opened slowly, a raging headache pounding at h is temples. With a groan, he sat up, his hand covering his eyes from the light. Where was he? The night before he was sitting at his computer researching for a project. Now, he was cornered in a small room, with nothing but a stiff mattress for a bed. He pulled at his clothes, wondering why he was garbed in an itchy prisoner uniform.

It took all of his energy to push himself off the bed and stumble to the bars that secluded him from the rest of the world. Why was he so weak? Why had such simple movements become so strenuous?

The metal bars were cold to the touch as Lelouch wrapped his thin fingers around them; peering out of his cell, the high schooler watched silently as an Eleven knelt over a dried patch of blood from the cell across the hall. Sensing that someone was watching her, the girl turned slightly, her hazel eyes widening as she caught Lelouch staring at her. Without a word, she set back to work, avoiding the violet eyes.

"What happened?"

The girl jolted at the sound of his voice echoing against the white walls. "A prisoner was executed," she replied weakly as she scrubbed the dried stains away.

"You're… an Eleven," Lelouch muttered, his hands sliding from the bars to his sides.

There was silence when the girl stopped her work, the bristles of the brush going still. "I am," she said slowly, pulling herself up to her knees. "You're not like me, are you? An Eleven?"

Lelouch shook his head. "I'm a Britannian," he answered.

The girl's eyebrow rose. "Then what are you doing here?"

The boy turned his eyes away, staring to the wall. "I don't know…" Then he turned back to face her again, saying, "I don't even know where I am."

The Eleven pursed her lips at the statement. "You're in Britannia, in the prison of the Emperor."

My thoughts were shattered at the sound of Lelouch's scream. With a sigh, I pulled open the heavy door to see the Eleven girl against the wall, her eyes wide and bottom lip trembling. "What's going on here?" I asked, striding to her side.

"I… I don't know," she replied hoarsely. "He said he didn't know where he was, and after I told him, he screamed." She looked up to me, trembling with fright. "I don't know what I did wrong."

I nodded towards the door. "You're dismissed," I said coolly.

With shaking fingers, the girl took up the bucket of water and brush, quick to leave my presence. I waited for the door to slam shut before looking to Lelouch. His forehead was pushed against the wall, his fists clenched as if he had pounded against the cement barrier. I couldn't help but grin at his pathetic state; after causing me pain and agony, he was finally getting a small dose of what he deserved.

"I see you're up, Lelouch Lamperouge."

He pulled away from the wall, his violet eyes wide as he gasped, "Su-Suzaku!"

I was taken aback; he knew my name?! How? Did the Geass not work on him?

"You… you know me?"

Lelouch stepped closer to the bars. "How could I not? We grew up together, right? How long has it been, seven years?"

So his memories of our past together hadn't been erased. In his mind, we were the best of friends, but I thought differently. This bastard… how could I have been friends with him, after all he did?

I smiled gently. "Long time no see; I almost didn't recognize you," I replied, playing along with his game.

He grinned back. "I understand. If I hadn't seen you on t.v. recently, I wouldn't have recognized you either. An Honorary Britannian now, right?"

Nodding, I replied, "Yeah, just got promoted to a new rank in the military."

"That's great! I'm glad you're able to live a good life." Then his gaze saddened. "I'm sorry about Princess Euphemia's death; it must be hard for you."

I gritted my teeth, holding back the anger that now swelled to my fists. How could he speak so loosely to me? Did he not know? "Watch your tongue, Britannian."

Lelouch pulled away from the bars, a hurt look in his eyes. "I'm sorry if I offended you… my sympathies are sincere."

So the Geass had worked; his memories of Zero were completely wiped. But still, there was a chance that a glimpse of the past remained. I had to risk it. "Do you know why you're here, Lelouch?" I asked, crossing my arms.

He lowered his head, his eyes staring down to his hands. "I don't know; all I remember was that I was on the computer last."

"Are you in any way affiliated with Zero?"

A look of surprise spread on Lelouch's face. "Zero? Why would I be affiliated with him? I'm Britannian, so what good would he bring me? Besides, didn't he die recently?"

I grinned; his memories were completely disarayed. I couldn't have been any happier. And yet, it was bittersweet; there were so many questions I wanted to ask, and now they would never be answered. "Evidence was found connecting you with the Black Knights; until you prove your innocence, you will be detained her," I stated.

With a sigh, Lelouch sat on the edge of his bed, hanging his head low. "What is being done about my brother? Is he okay?"

Nunnally had been replaced. A brother, a fraud. The darling little sister we cherished most no longer existed. "He's being taken care of, so don't worry about him," I lied.

"Suzaku… how long do you think I'll be here?"

I didn't respond, looking down to my boots. How could I answer? Honestly, I wanted to him to rot the rest of his days away, to pay for the sins that stained his soul, to pay for the blood that dripped from his hands… Euphemia's blood.

"That depends," I said finally, turning away to leave.

Lelouch tilted his head towards me, saying, "That's long enough."

His words echoed in my mind as the sound of my boots thudded down the hall. I looked over my shoulder to see that he had stood, hanging his arms beyond the bars.

What did he mean?

_"That's long enough…"_


	3. Hide

Kallen sighed as she leaned back against the wall, her hands clasped behind her head. The world had grown dull, silent… slow. School had become less than interesting; it just didn't entertain her as it did before. Suzaku was gone, and Lelouch was presumed dead. The Black Knights were now few and weak; Toudou and Ohgi, along with others, had been imprisoned. The Guren had to be hidden away in the Chinese Federation, under the care of Xing-ke. And as for C.C… nothing could be said.

"Kallen, you okay? The Student Council Meeting's going to start soon."

The voice startled Kallen awake, her wide cyan eyes blinking. Shirley tilted her head slightly, her strawberry-blonde hair cascading down her shoulders. "Kallen? You awake?"

"Yeah," was all the girl could reply. "I've just got a lot to think about."

Shirley smiled. "Because Lulu and Nunnally are gone? I know. The President said something about them going to visit Britannia, so don't worry about it."

Of course. Everyone thought that. But Kallen knew. She knew everything. The memories of that day haunted her. The sight of Suzaku aiming the gun at the leader she followed so willingly, the dark helmet splitting in half under the bullet, Lelouch's pale face appearing under the mass of thick black hair, blood dripping down his forehead and streaming off his chin.

How could she not see? How could she not realize it? Lelouch… he made a fool of her.

"Hey, Shirley, could you tell Milly I'm not going to be there today?"

Shirley raised her eyebrows in shock. "Sure, why?" she asked.

Kallen bit her bottom lip. "Tell her… tell her that I've been feeling sick lately and I don't want to get everyone sick."

"Yeah, okay," Shirley replied in understanding. "Hope you get to feeling better next meeting."

With a sigh, Kallen turned and slowly made her way down the hall, swaying slightly. When Shirley was gone from the corner of her eye, the Black Knight took a deep breath and ran. That's right… as a Black Knight, she could run. She could fight. She had to find Lelouch and free the Elevens. The Britannians had to die… they had to suffer for what they did to her people.

Only Lelouch could make it possible.

Upon turning a corner, Kallen was knocked back by a small form. She gritted her teeth in frustration as he sat back up, rubbing her back. "You idiot, watch where you're going!" she yelled.

"Ow…" the boy muttered as he rubbed the back of his head.

He looked young, and yet he wore a high school uniform. His light brown hair had been slightly roused from the fall, and his magenta eyes were focused low in embarrassment. Kallen immediately rolled her lips tight together; why had she lashed out at such a young kid?

"I'm sorry… I thought you were someone else," she began as she stood.

The boy looked up to her, a nervous smile on his face. "It's okay, I should have watched where I was going," he replied, taking Kallen's outstretched hand and pulling himself to his feet.

"Are you new here? I don't remember seeing you before," Kallen stated as she watched the boy dust off his uniform.

His brow arched. "What do you mean? I've always been here."

Kallen crossed her arms, a smirk on her thin lips. "Whatever you say."

"I'm sure you've seen me before, right Kallen? The name's Rolo Lamperouge. Don't you remember me?"

The girl froze, paralyzed in shock. When did Lelouch have a brother? There was only Nunnally… "I didn't know Lelouch had a brother."

Again, Rolo's brow raised. "I'm the only sibling he has."

How could Nunnally have disappeared? Where had she gone?

"Well… it's nice to see you again, Rolo," Kallen said shakily as she tried to mask her concern, "but I need to get home."

Rolo nodded. "Okay. See you tomorrow, Kallen."

With a brisk step, Kallen was already a few yards away. Already, so many questions were running through her mind, questions that needed answering… questions that only C.C. or Lelouch could answer. But neither of them were there now; she was all alone. This kid… how did this stranger know her name?

"Kallen!"

Stopping at the familiar voice, Kallen looked out of the corner of her eye to see _her_ standing there. "C.C…."

Pushing her hair to the side, C.C emerged out of the shadows, her gold eyes narrow. "Who was that?" she asked, nodding back to the school.

Kallen gritted her teeth. "I was hoping you would know. He said he was Lelouch's brother, but he never said anything about Nunnally. He even knew my name."

C.C nodded, no change coming to her face. "I see… we'll deal with him later. Any news on Lelouch's whereabouts?"

The high schooler shook her head.

"We need to reorganize."

"The Black Knights?"

C.C. nodded.

Kallen growled, "With Lelouch… Zero gone and the rest of the group imprisoned, there's not many of us left."

Here, C.C. smiled gently. "You're mistaken; although our leader is gone, contact, we still have support. I've been in contact with Xing-ke… you remember him, right?"

The girl shook her head. "All I know is that he's the one watching the Guren. What about him?"

"He's a part of the Chinese Federation; he and others give us full support, with troops and weapons as well," was the monotone reply.

Bringing her hand to her chin, Kallen sighed. "So, considering all of this, what should I do in the mean time?"

C.C. looked down, her eyes narrowed as she studied her shoes. "For now," she began, "continue with your studies… and keep an eye on this Rolo."

(~)

That Monday following Kallen's strange encounter with Rolo, the high schooler peered through the class window, snooping on the Student Council meeting; there, sitting where Nunnally usually sat, was Rolo. Timidly, she set her hand on the door handle and poked her head through the crack. "Sorry I'm late, I looked in my purse and saw that I was out of medicine," she lied.

The group looked up to her, their faces bright. "No problemo, Kallen. We were just starting anyways," Rivalz explained.

The President squealed with glee. "Kallen! You're better! Shirley said you were looking pretty pale last week," she said as she patted Kallen's usual chair. "Rolo was just saying that Lelouch is coming home in two weeks. It seems he's taking in all of Britannia without us."

Kallen raised her eyebrow as she sat, smoothing the creases of her school uniform. "Isn't Nunnally with him? I thought they'd be coming home sooner than that due to her studies," she asked.

She was met with blank stares; Rivalz's eyebrow cocked slightly and Shirley looked to Milly as she asked, "Does Lulu have a girlfriend or something?"

Milly shrugged. "I don't think so; I'd have been first to hear about it." Then looking to Kallen, she asked, "Who's Nunnally?"

Before the girl could answer, she caught Rolo shooting her a strange look, a death glare. Kallen stumbled over her words as she replied, "Oh, she's… a pen-pal from Britannia. Lelouch told me before he left that he was going on a few tours with her."

Shirley tapped her chin lightly. "Pen-pal…" she muttered.

Something was wrong… deathly wrong. Just the day before, Shirley was causing a ruckus how Lelouch and Nunnally weren't coming home yet. Why the sudden change? Why was Nunnally erased from existence? Could it be…

Kallen took a quick look to Rolo, who had begun to speak. "I haven't met Nunnally herself, but according to my brother, she seems to be a nice girl. He also said that her family is quite nice."

"EH?! So Lulu is spending time alone… with a GIRL?! And he met her family?!" Shirley gawked.

"Lucky bastard…" Rivalz muttered under his breath as he glanced to Milly.

"It isn't like that, okay?!" Kallen shouted as she slammed her palms on the table. "Nunnally isn't like that… Lelouch isn't like that! I… I would know!" Without another word, she stormed from the room, everyone save Rolo calling after her.

She stopped in the courtyard, her chest swelling with anger, her eyes fiery, her face flustered. This Rolo guy… just what did he do? How had everyone's memories of Nunnally suddenly disappear? Though he didn't look the part, Kallen knew deep down something about Rolo was screaming treachery, danger. There was no way she could convince anyone else of that."

"You still remember her, don't you?"

Turning quickly, Kallen's heart pounded fast at the sight of Rolo standing there at the fountain. His eyes, a light magenta, were narrowed. "What did you do to everyone? What happened to Nunnally?!" Kallen demanded as she reached for her pocket knife.

Rolo merely shrugged. "I didn't do anything. I'm just here to speculate, to fill Nunnally's empty position while Lelouch's memories are gone." Then he paused, laughing at Kallen's shocked face. "Oh? You don't know about that, do you?"

Her breath hitched. Lelouch's memories were gone as well? "What?" she gasped. "His memories… gone?"

"That's right," Rolo began, taking a step closer. "Everything about you, the Black Knights, even Zero, are blank spaces filled with fake memories. Is that clear?"

Kallen gritted her teeth as she nodded. "Yeah… But how do I know you're telling the truth?"

Rolo grinned. "I don't want to make up a story of how a Britannian student shows up dead, so if you don't mind, stay out of my way."

Who was this kid, telling her what to do and not answering her questions? Easily, Kallen could have slit his throat and be done with him, but something kept her from pulling out the blade. His eyes… they held the same dark glare Lelouch's did when she first saw his face from behind the mask. "That means…" she muttered, "I can't show my face at Ashford?"

"Correct."

"… understood…"

Although it took every ounce of her body to say those words, Kallen had no choice. Slowly, she walked away from the lie she had been living. Ashford was no longer a safe haven for her now. She had to live with the truth…. That is, until Zero returned…


	4. Chains

For almost two days, Lelouch's cell was deathly quiet. Whenever I would interrogate him, he would come back with the same answer: silence.

"Come one, we were childhood friends. Can't you at least tell me what you know?" I asked the evening of the second day.

Lelouch looked up to me from his laid back position on his bed. "I told you already: I know nothing. If I did, I would tell you."

"Tch… at least you're answering now."

"I'm getting tired of you asking the same questions."

I had to find some way to keep him here, let him pay for the pain and suffering. Damn… I wish his memories were still there; then, I could really lash into him and not feel guilty. Then again, he would play stupid. "You know… nothing?"

With a soft grunt, Lelouch pushed himself up off the bed and stood at the bars, his eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to keep me here? Suzaku, if I told you I did nothing, then this ordeal is over and done with."

I snapped. Reaching through the bars, I grabbed his shirt collar and brought his face against the metal as I ripped into him. "What do you mean?! You did nothing wrong?! You did everything wrong, you son of a bitch! You destroyed Japan, killed Prince Clovis, ruined our friendship, you killed… you killed…" I couldn't say Euphemia's name, no matter how much I wanted to. I could see her in my mind, her eyes sad as she shook her head. I understood… she never liked to see me upset, so why was I getting upset now? She could still see me, still plead and beg of me. Releasing my grip, I sank against the wall, burying my face in my arm. "Euphie…"

Lelouch stood in paralyzed shock, her hand holding his bleeding nose. "I… did all that?" he gasped.

It was at that point I understood most: he had no memory of anything save our friendship. Anything beyond that was blank. The Emperor's Geass had worked its magic, and now I was feeling the aftermath of it… Lelouch and Nunnally weren't the only ones being punished…

"Suzaku, I couldn't have done that. Why are you accusing me of murder… of high treason?" Lelouch demanded, his voice muffled by his palm.

I bit my bottom lip and looked off to the side, my eyes narrowed. "Ignore what I said; I'm being unreasonable," was all I could mutter. The sound of blood dripping from Lelouch's nose to the ground echoed as the drops splattered to the floor. With a sigh, I reached inside my coat pocket and handed the prisoner a rag. "Here… clean yourself up…"

Sitting on the side of the bed, Lelouch tilted his head back against the wall and clamped the rag to his nose. As the cloth moistened to a deep red, a few streams of blood ran across his pale cheek and down his chin. I drew my legs up to my chest and rested my elbows on my knees. "I'm sorry I lashed out… I just have a lot on my mind."

Lelouch brought the cloth away, inspecting it. "I don't blame you; you're a high ranked officer now, and on top of that, your princess was murdered in cold blood. I would've done the same, if I were you." Then he looked up to the ceiling, his eyes lost in wonder. "Princess Euphemia… what was she like?"

His question caught me by surprise. Yet, it didn't bewilder me that he would ask; after all, any connection of his to Euphemia was broken. "She…" I began with a deep breath, "was everything Japan could've dreamed of as a savior. She was considerate of others, and never put herself first. She always wanted to uplift the weak. When she made me her knight, she wasn't thinking of her own safety; my well-being was her first priority. I… I don't know why she deserved to die…"

I felt the tears begin to brim my eyes; me, an eighteen year old military knight, was crying. My mouth went dry as I thought back to that day, the last time I held Euphemia in my arms. She died before my eyes, wishing me only the best in life… I wish I had died with her. Looking up, I felt Lelouch's hand on my knee; he smiled weakly back at me, his shoulder barely fitting through the gaps in the bars as he reached out. "I'm sure Princess Euphemia's smiling down on you, even now, eh? Suzaku? She may have died, but her soul's not lost.

I couldn't help but nod in return. "Yeah… I guess you're right."

Lelouch drew his hand away, clasping his fingers around the bar. "'I'm glad you come to visit me; I'd be bored without someone to talk to."

I raised an eyebrow and looked to the other prisoners. "You could talk to them," I suggested.

The violet eyes closed as Lelouch shook his head. "No thanks; they keep on joking about what a nice 'catch' you brought in." Then he shuddered. "I won't have to be cell-mates with any of them, do I?"

It was my turn to shake my head. "No; these prisoners are on death row, so they'll be gone soon enough."

"Aren't they Elevens like you?"

"Yeah, but they're here for accounts of high treason."

"Then what about me? Why am I here?"

"… investigation purposes…"

"Oh."

"For your own safety."

Lelouch smirked. "That's not what you told me two days ago."

"Yeah it is… I just… reworded it."

"Whatever… hey, Suzaku?"

"Hm?"

"Don't you have a meeting you have to go to?"

I looked down to my cell phone, grimacing at how much time had passed. "Shit, I'm gonna be late!" I sprung to m feet, bolting down the hall. Looking back, I saw Lelouch's hand waving from outside the bars.

"Sayonara, Suzaku."


	5. Don't Fake This

Xing-ke was quiet as C.C. approached, his chocolate eyes cold. Instinctively, he set his fingers around the hilt of his katana. C.C. only shook her head, saying, "No one's with me."

The Chinese man relaxed, nodding with approval. "If that's the case, then Zero had yet to be found?" he asked.

C.C. stopped, lifting her golden gaze up to his. "Not as of now, but I have a good feeling he's no longer in Area 11; if what Kallen told me is correct, Suzaku Kururugi must have taken him before the Emperor."

Xing-ke frowned. "He's inside Britannian borders, then," he deducted.

"Correct," C.C. replied. "Only beyond that, I can't tell much of his location. The Black Knights were wondering if you could get any information on Zero's location."

A smirk spread on the man's thin lips. "I can do more than that. The Britannian Emperor has under his service fellow Chinese; they're double agents and send us information constantly."

C.C. nodded. "Good. Once we learn of Zero's location, it's imperative that we retrieve him," she answered, pushing her lime colored hair to the side. "The Black Knights are itching for revenge, along with the rescuing of our imprisoned members."

"If I was able to give you the information by tomorrow," Xing-ke began, crossing his arms. "What would you do?"

The woman shrugged, her eyes wandering around the walls. "Who knows? The Black Knights need a leader, or else they'll fall apart."

Xing-ke raised an eyebrow, his lips parting slightly. "You're not planning on breaking him out of Britannia, are you?"

Before C.C. could respond, the cell phone strapped to her hip vibrated loudly. When she didn't move to get it, Xing-ke smiled weakly. "Aren't you going to get that?"

Her gaze study on him, C.C. pulled the cell phone from its strap and flipped it open. "You're supposed to be in school," she muttered.

Xing-ke waited patiently as C.C. went quiet, the voice on the phone panicked and shaky. "I understand," C.C. stated once there was a pause. "Report to the Black Knights and bring any member you can find." Then she snapped the phone shut before the person had a chance to protest to the order.

"Issues?" Xing-ke asked playfully.

"None of importance," C.C. replied. Then she folded her arms together, her head bowed in deep thought. "When do you think I could have Zero's location?"

Xing-ke smirked. "When do you need it?" he asked in return.

Kallen stared in disbelief at her phone, the signal lost. "Damn it, C.C., is that all you have to say?" she sighed, tilting her head back agains the headboard of her bed. "Lelouch… why did you cause me so much trouble?" She flipped her phone open again, scanning through her contacts

C.C., Ohgi, Tamaki, Toudou…

Zero…

She stared at Lelouch's number, her thumb threatening to press the green button. Where was he? Where had he been pulled off to in the time of their most dire need? The Black Knights needed him… Kallen needed him…

He was the only one able to save Japan.

There was a beep on the other line as Kallen pressed the button and brought the phone to her ear. If Lelouch were dead or imprisoned, there would be no reason to call. Deep down, however, Kallen knew…

Knew that he was alive.

"Kallen?"

The girl sat in a state or paralysis, sweat beginning to form on her brow. "Lelouch? Is that you? Are you okay?"

There was a sigh. "Kallen, it's Suzaku."

Immediately, Kallen's brow creased as she scowled. "So what are you now, some respected hero? You bastard, you don't understand how much you screwed everything up," she growled.

"You know if he kept up, Japan would be nothing but ash and rubble," Suzaku shot back. "What I don't understand is why you would follow such a monster."

"You're only upset because he killed Euphemia."

Silence. The jab had struck the knight deeply, and Kallen didn't have to see his face to know that. "If she hadn't gone out and had all those Japanese killed, she would still be alive… they would be alive… and Zero would change the world," Kallen jeered.

"You only called to talk to Lelouch, right?" came Suzaku's unusually calm voice. "He's sitting next to me."

Kallen gasped; so Lelouch was still alive. There was still hope… "Hand him the phone."

There were some mumbles on the other end as Suzaku passed the phone off: "It's for you; someone from school."

Lelouch's voice echoed through the phone faintly. "Who is it?" Then his tone cleared. "Hello?"

"Lelouch! Dear God, C.C. and I have been worried sick about you! Look, things have gone horribly wrong here. Some Rolo kid has persuaded the school that he's your brother and that Nunnally never existed. The Black Knights need you! We can break you out! Lelouch…" her voice trailed as she thought back to what Rolo had said:

"Everything about you, the Black Knights, even Zero are blank spaces filled with fake memories."

"Lelouch, please say you remember me…"

There was a long silence, each second bringing Kallen closer on the brink of tears. In the background, she heard Suzaku talking to someone, probably a soldier, but Lelouch had yet to answer. "Lelouch, say something."

"…Suzaku tells me your name is Kallen. I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met before… maybe you have the wrong number?"

Kallen's breath hitched as he spoke. So it was true… he really didn't know anything. "Dear God, Lelouch, what did they do to you?" she asked, an edge of hopelessness in her voice.

Lelouch's answer was slow: "Kallen… maybe we have met, but I can't put your name to a face. When I remember, I'll ask Suzaku to call you back, but as for now, could you do something for me?"

_Yes, Zero…_

"Yeah, what do you need, Lelouch?" came the hoarse reply.

"Would you tell Rolo not to worry about me? And ask Milly if she can have my homework ready for me when I get home. You know her, right?"

"Yeah," Kallen replied faintly. "Could you… hand the phone back to Suzaku?"

"Sure," Lelouch replied.

"Kallen, I'm sure you don't understand anything now," Suzaku said a few seconds later.

"Bastard… what did you do to him? Why doesn't he even remember Nunnally?!"

"Kallen, I didn't ask for this to happen. I didn't want for Nunnally to be punished as well, but I had no say in the matter," Suzaku replied.

Kallen sighed deeply, the tenseness that had built up in her shoulders relaxing slightly. "It was the Geass, wasn't it?" she asked.

Suzaku hesitated briefly. "Why should I tell you? I just said I didn't do anything to him."

"Suzaku," Kallen began stiffly, "would Euphemia do the same thing? Take away the savior of your country?"

"Your savior killed her."

"She killed our people."

"Zero caused her to do that."

"You never asked his side of the story."

"I had no reason to."

Kallen's upper lip curled in anger. "Maybe you should have asked him before his memory was erased. I'm sure if he justified his case, you wouldn't be so quick to judge him."

The knight was silent for a long while, his breath coming in uneasy hitches over the phone. Kallen grinned; she had him trapped, and he knew it.

"It's too late to ask him now, Suzaku," she continued. "You're one to treat your friends well by throwing them in prison without a just reason. Way to go."

Before Suzaku could reply, Kallen flipped the phone shut, stuffing it in her pocket. She expected him to call back and justify himself, but the call never came. Instead, when Kallen next answered the phone ten minutes later, C.C.'s monotone voice broke through.

"Kallen, the Chinese Federation has pinpointed Zero's location. Prepare to move out and launch an attack on the Royal Britannian Catacomb of Penitence."


	6. Open Wounds

I stared blankly at the phone after Kallen hung up on me. I sighed, pushing Lelouch's cell phone deep in my back pocket and looked to my friend; he had gone quiet, his knees drawn up to his chest and his head leaned back against the wall. His eyes stared with a sad thoughtfulness up to the ceiling, unmoving, unblinking.

"Suzaku," he finally muttered. "I did something pretty horrible to get in here, didn't I?"

I lowered my head, staring down at my boots. "Yeah."

He raised his hand to his face, studying his palm. "How much blood did I spill? How many lives did I take?"

"Thousands."

"Am I Zero? Am I everything that girl said I was?"

"… yeah…"

"I… I killed Euphemia…"

I choked slightly at his statement, my fists clenching at my side. "Yes…" I breathed.

Lelouch sighed, letting his hand fall to his lap. "I deserve death, don't I?"

"According to Britannian law, yes."

"… then kill me…"

I turned briskly to look to him, my mouth gaping in disbelief. He… wanted me to kill him? "Lelouch…" I gasped, my fingers shaking as my fists loosened.

"I don't want to keep living if I don't even know what I did… who I am… You said it was a classified case, so you can't tell me anything. This girl… Kallen, she obviously knows something I don't. Even if you or her were able to explain, I wouldn't remember anything." Then he stood, turning towards me with a pitiful glint in his eye. "Please… shoot me…"

Smiling weakly, I reached out and touched his fingers lightly where they grasped the bar. "Lelouch, you're my friend… I can't kill you…"

His shoulders slumped as he sighed, his gaze moving to the floor. "Then at least tell me what all I did."

"I'd be executed for that."

"… is there anything I can ask you without you refusing to answer?"

I shrugged playfully. "Maybe, ask away," I answered.

"Allow me to shower separate from the other prisoners."

"I can't do that; we have to keep you all together for supervision."

Lelouch scowled. "See! So I can't ask you to do anything, then. Suzaku, you've become a Nazi."

I shook my head. "I'm an Honorary Britannian, not a German."

Lelouch grinned at the response before saying, "So, you're an Honorary Britannian Nazi?"

Although it was lame, we laughed, the first time in a long while. It felt good to be free to joke around a bit; after so much stress and tension, I finally began to realize how much I had changed. After a short while, however, our laughter began to die down to silence.

"Is… there a reason why you don't want to be with the others?" I asked finally.

Lelouch looked cautiously to the other cells as if to see that we weren't being watched. "They look at me strange," he whispered. "They all look as if they're ready to strangle me, just because I'm Britannian. Then there are others…" His voice trailed as his shoulders shuddered and his face paled. "Others who are taking bets."

I raised an eyebrow, not catching his hint. "Bets on what? To see who would try to kill you first?"

He opened his mouth to respond, but then closed it. With fear in his eyes and tone, he whimpered, "Suzaku… they're making plans to rape me…"

I took a step back, my face contorting with shock. I couldn't believe it—my own kin, but why would they go so far? Was it their hatred of the Britannians? "Are you sure?!" I gasped.

He could only lower his head and nod. "I hear them… they make themselves loud enough for me to hear. They always stare at me, no matter how much I turn away. They even tell others about the things they're going to do to me… Suzaku, I'm scared. You know me, I wouldn't be able to fight them off." He reached through the bars, trembling fingers clasping around mine. "Suzaku, please…"

I sighed. "I won't be able to separate you from them, but I'll put guards at the doors. If anything happens, tell them."

Lelouch smiled weakly. "Thanks, Suzaku…"

(~)

"There's a fight in the prisoners' bathing room! It's pretty bad!"

I looked over my shoulder to the soldier, whose chest heaved with exhaustion. Gino nudged me in the ribs, his blue eyes sparkling. "That new prisoner you brought in's causing trouble, eh?" he joked.

Anya sighed. "It's just a bunch of young boys fighting; leave it be," she muttered before taking a sip of tea.

Gino ignored her input. "Eh, Suzaku? What should we do?"

I rose to my feet, straightening my jacket before asking, "How bad are the injuries? Any reports on those?"

The soldier shrugged. "I wasn't informed, sir. Before I left my post, I saw one of the prisoners get thrown to the ground; I thought I saw his forehead bleeding."

_It couldn't be Lelouch… it shouldn't be…_

"Anya, stay here. Let Gino and I handle this," I said, taking those first timid steps out of the office.

_Don't let it be Lelouch…_

"You're wasting your authority on mere prisoners?" the girl asked, the tea cup hovering below her lips.

I didn't reply, but looked sternly to Gino. Thankfully, he understood my intent; with a wave to Anya, he explained, "Now, who else would calm the prisoners? None of the other soldiers would, and I don't think your innocent eyes can take such indecency."

Anya snickered. "I never offered my service."

Gino's tongue slid out from behind his teeth. "Party popper," he jeered before taking me roughly around the shoulders and half pushing me down the halls. The soldiers remained at our side, his head bowed in respect.

"I will silence the men, if you would allow for me to," he mumbled at one point.

"That won't be necessary," I replied, shaking my head. "Let us handle this."

The prisoners' bathing room, a large area with several booth-like sections for showers, was the one place for the men to get out of their cells. It is here that friendships are formed, secret messages whispered, and the bashing of heads occur. The men are allowed to do what they want, as long at the showers are turned off in the hour.

Gino and I were quite unprepared for the scene behind the fogged window and cement door. There, in the center of the showers, were several men, their fists raised high ad their voices a roaring chorus; they might as well have been at a wrestling match, cheering and shouting. However, their cries left me and my companion in a state of paralysis.

"Slam his head to the ground!"

"Rip his hair out!"

"Show that Britannian prick what we've gone through!"

I began to push my way through the mass of hot, wet bodies. Gino stood at the open door, letting the built up steam sweep out into the hall. As one prisoner raised his arm in enthusiasm, his elbow caught me under the chin, bringing my teeth together with gnashing force. He looked down to me, eyes widening in fear. For a long while, I glared icily up to him while wiping the blood from my lip.

"Call off the fight," I ordered once the shouts became louder.

The man fell back, his voice shaking. "Oi! The Knight of Seven is here!" he shouted. "Stop the fight! Stop it now!" His shouts went unheard, unnoticed, as the men's excitement built. I noticed his face go pale as I reached for the handle of my gun, but before I had pulled the weapon from its cover, the ear-splitting crack of a gun sounded.

Gino, who had been silent this entire time, now held his gun high above his head, his other hand massaging his forehead. The prisoners immediately went still, their eyes scanning back to the blonde. "Please, your shouts and chants are making my head throb," he muttered as he lowered his gun. "Now, what seems to be the problem?"

With the men now under control, I successfully pushed my way into the open ring, pausing at what I saw:

There was Lelouch, his thin wrists held up by two other prisoners. The soaking wet white towel wrapped loosely around his bony hips war splattered with blood. I couldn't see his eyes, for his head was bowed low, his chin almost resting on his chest. His knees were shaking, threatening to give out from under him at any moment.

Turning to the attacker, a man of large stature and bulky build, I narrowed my eyes. "Tell me what happened," I commanded.

The prisoner scowled, his thin eyebrows furrowing at the sharp features of his face creased. "Lord Suzaku, eh? The man who betrayed his own country." He spat at my boots and looked down to me in disgust. "Why would I give you my reason for killing one who destroyed my people?"

My glare was unmoving as I replied, "There is a difference between your violence and mine: I fight for peace, and you… for self glory."

I let his fist slam into my jaw; I didn't stop him from sealing his own death wish. Before he had the chance to recoil, the point of my gun was at his gut, and the bullet that followed after ripped through his fleshy stomach. As he fell squirming in agony, I turned to Lelouch, who barely stood by his own two feet; had the other two prisoners not been there holding him up, he would have fallen long ago. With tender fingers, I lifted up his head by his chin and studied his face. Blood streamed from a cut on his lip, dripping down the side of his chin; his left eye had already swollen half-way shut. Pushing aside his bands, I grimaced at the gash that ran across the side of his forehead. For a long while, no words were exchanged. Lelouch's raspy breaths were already taking a toll on him; anything he said would cause him to fall.

"Su…zaku…" he finally whispered, his voice cracking. "You came…"

"What happened?" I repeated.

Lelouch lowered his head as he muttered, "He said I … looked at him wrong… like he was inferior to me…"

His body trembled. His knees buckled. "Release him!" I barked at the two prisoners.

Now free of their hold, Lelouch's legs finally gave out, his body falling forward. His head against my chest, his hands groped for some hold; with pale fingers, he clutched my jacket, barely managing to hold himself up. "Suzaku… don't send me here again... I don't belong here… please…" his quaking voice pleaded.

Looking over to Gino, I scowled when he formed a heart with his hands. "It's going to be okay," was all I could mutter.


	7. Sparks fly

Lelouch winced as the bandages were pulled tightly around his ribs. "Jesus, Suzaku, could you do that any tighter?" he complained.

I raised an eyebrow as I knotted the bandage. "I could let you go without any treatment; trust me, you'd be hurting a hell of a lot worse if I did that," I replied.

Scowling, Lelouch fingered at the stitches on his forehead. "It's already been two days and this thing's killing me…" he muttered. "When do the stitches come out?"

I shrugged. "Don't know; at least another week before I even consider taking them out."

"Thanks Suzaku… I don't know how that fight would have ended if you didn't show."

Pausing in my work, I looked up to see that he was smiling down at me. That smile… it was the same one he gave to Nunnally… innocent and sweet. I couldn't help but stare up at him, watching his lips form into that boyish grin. When I felt my face grow warm, I quickly looked away, working my fingers at unrolling the next cylinder of bandages.

"Hey, Lelouch," I began slowly. "Have you ever wondered why no one from Ashford Academy has called lately?"

The grin straightened out. "Sometimes. I'm always bored wondering how they're all doing. I'm sure Milly is her normal self, eh?"

I chuckled lightly. "Yeah," I replied. "You can always bet that the President will remain her flamboyant self."

Lelouch tilted his head back against the wall. "How's Nina doing? She wasn't at school before I left," he said.

Nina… the one who attempted suicide for Euphie's sake… "She's doing well. You remember my old boss, Lloyd? He's kinda taken her under his wing. Apparently, he saw potential in her last he came to the school."

"She always was a science wiz…" I heard Lelouch mutter. "Rivalz, he's still gambling, yes?"

"Last I checked, yeah," I replied as I smoothed a band aid over the stitches. "And Shirley's still on the swim team; won a few medals, I think."

He closed his eyes, his pale lips upturning slightly. "I'm glad they're all doing all right."

I nodded, thankful as well. "Luckily, the last knightmare attack in Japan didn't do much damage to Ashford. Everyone was okay; shocked, yes, but uninjured."

I stood, dusting off my knees from where I was kneeling. "Done."

Lelouch sat up, massaging the aches along his ribs. "I thought that guy was going to kill me, had he not been stopped. I felt as if I was going to hack up my lungs after the first punch." Then he faced me, a curious glint in his eye. "Have there been other instances of violence in this prison?"

I shrugged. "Maybe… I haven't been here long enough to know," I replied.

My friend sighed as he slid the prison uniform shirt over his shoulders, buttoning it closed to hide the bandages and bruises. "I was just wondering… if I was the only one affected by the others… It's because I'm Britannian, huh?" he asked.

"That may be it," I said.

_That's right… he was Britannian, and I was Japanese… an Eleven. We were different, no matter how many similarities we had._

Then my eyes narrowed as I watched him stand.

_He was Zero… I'm a Knight of Rounds… We were… are, enemies. I had to keep reminding myself that, the reasons why I couldn't forgive him._

"Suzaku, you okay?"

I shook my thoughts from my head and looked to Lelouch, his eyes boring into mine. "Hm?"

"You went really quiet… and you looked angry," he replied.

I grinned weakly. "No, it's just that I remembered that Gino still has something of mine; he's been holding it for a while."

Lelouch looked to the ground, his eyes fixing on his shoes. "Oh… Gino?"

"The guy who fired off the gun," I replied quickly.

"And Anya?"

I raised an eyebrow. "How do you know Anya? She hasn't visited the prisoner holding cells."

"Actually…" Lelouch began, "She came a couple of days ago, shortly after you left. She asked me if I was a prince."

_Anya… no, you idiot… what the hell do you think you were doing?!_

"W-what did you say?" I stuttered, my fingers twitching.

"I told her no, but that I was a commoner who goes to Ashford Academy. She kinda shrugged and walked off."

Before I could ask anymore questions, the knock at the door drew out attention away. There stood Gino, a grin on his face and his hands forming into a heart. "Good afternoon, lovers!" he said playfully.

"GINO!" I shouted, throwing my glove at his face. "What are you doing away from your post?!"

He shrugged casually. "Anya's taking care of it, don't worry." Then he tilted his head, waving at Lelouch. "'Alo, Lulu!"

Lelouch waved timidly back. "Eh… hello to you… too?"

Gino's weight leaned heavily on my side as he slung his arm around my shoulder. "I hope you don't mind, but I need to steal Suzaku from you for a little bit," he stated, winking at me.

"Sure, go ahead. I wouldn't have a say in the matter anyway, right?"

Gino chuckled loudly. "True! Anyways, thanks for letting my take your precious Suzaku!" he called before dragging me out of the room and slamming the door shut.

"You'd better have a good reason for this," I growled, pulling myself out from under his arm.

The blonde scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I kinda do… we got an emergency message from the Chinese Federation; they're planning on taking you precious Lulu out from under your nose."

I swiped my glove from the ground and pulled it on. "You mean a break in? Abduction?"

"A rescue mission," Gino answered. "Somehow the Black Knights have been leaked information of Lulu's location; an army of copter are on the way."

Sighing, I looked back through the glass door to Lelouch. "Any knightmares located?"

Gino shook his head. "Nope, only copters. The Britannian boundary guard should be able to deal with them, but just in case they are able to break through, we need an extra soldier in the prison."

"I'll stay by his cell tonight," I offered, a little too quickly for Gino's liking.

"Oh? How cute!"

"That's not what I meant, Gino!"

He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and looking up to the ceiling. "Anya and I had some time to think… a look-alike dummy of Lulu…"

"His name is Lelouch; only girls refer to him as Lulu," I interjected.

Gino rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Anyways, we were thinking of setting a trap for the Black Knights, maybe have Lelouch stay with you so there's no chance of him being taken."

"Is that legal?"

To prove his point, Gino pulled at the badge pinned to my jacket. "You're a Knight of Rounds, aren't you? You can do whatever you want as long as it isn't treason," he replied. "Besides," he added, leaning in closer. "It's only for one night."

My upper lip curled in disgust. "Gino… you're sick."


	8. Our Solemn Hour

C.C. looked up to Xing-ke, who was pulling his raven black hair up in a high pony tail. Her gold eyes scanned from the Chinese man to the group of knightmares behind them; Kallen, seated comfortably in the Guren, waited impatiently for the signal.

"You're sure this is the place?" C.C. asked, returning her gaze to Xing-ke.

He nodded. "Yeah; according to more recent data, Zero's cell is underground. I suspect protective measures will be issued, and all personnel will be moved from the lower levels to the ground floors." His chocolate eyes closed slowly as he tightened the strap over the collar of his uniform.

The ear piece strapped to C.C.'s ear vibrated. "What is it now, Q. 1?" the woman asked, tilting her head towards the device.

"The Black Knights are in formation; all knightmares are accounted for," Kallen's static voice echoed. "C.C., what of the explosives? What section of the prison is to be destroyed?"

The green-haired woman mumbled to herself as she pulled out the blueprints of the building. "That main entrance is to the west, over by the road. We will station a force there to take down those who escape via the main way. If Zero has been relocated, Britannian soldiers will attempt to escape with him through the back exit. This eastern section is to be caved in to prevent this from happening." She paused, looked to Xing-ke for verification. When he nodded, she continued, "With another stream of explosives, the northern wall will be opened allowing for us to enter and retrieve Zero."

Kallen was silent for a while before her uneasy voice asked, "C.C… what if we're wrong?"

The woman sighed as she folded the blueprints. "Then we destroy the entire location and look elsewhere." She took out the device and stuffed it in her pocket before asking, "Are you sure you'll be able to handle this?"

Xing-ke looked over his shoulder as he climbed into his knightmare. "Yeah, I should be able to hold up."

"…Then prepare to deploy."

"Yes, C.C."

(~)

"Um, Suzaku, are you sure I should be wearing this?"

I looked away from my book to see Lelouch at the bathroom door, tugging at his collar. "It looks fine, why?" I asked in return.

Lelouch slouched in the chair across from me, crossing his legs with dignity. "If feels big," he replied.

"I'm not surprised; that's one of my uniforms, and you're as thin as a twig," I said as I turned back to my book. "We need to keep you as safe as we can right now; if you looked like a prisoner, Britannian soldiers would think I was trying to sneak you out. You understand, right?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess… that's the only part of this plan that doesn't make sense."

"Hm?"

"If I'm a prisoner, why are you and the Knights of Rounds trying so hard to protect me?"

My book closed with a soft thud. I thought over my answer for a long time, wondering. If I simply said that civilians and prisoners share equal rights for protection, he would raise the issue of me shooting a prisoner. However, if I just said he was Zero and Britannia couldn't bear another year of chaos and death, he'd deny even being associated with the criminal; but he himself had doubts about his real self. That's why…

"You're a close friend of mine," I began softly, "and I wouldn't want for you to get hurt."

"Then why do the Black Knights want me?"

_Shit… another hard question with an equally hard answer…_

"Ransom… and because you're a Britannian," was all I could say.

Lelouch nodded in understanding, his head tilting as he gazed at the decorated walls. "Are you going to fight? With your knightmare?" he asked suddenly, his eyes resting on a photo on my dresser.

It was of me and Lloyd, who proudly waved the ignition key to the Lancelot in my face. That was the day he completed the knightmare and was officially putting it under my care in battle. That was also the day that my world was turned into madness, the morning before Clovis was killed.

"Hey, Lelouch?"

His eyes returned to me, a look of care freeness brightening his face. "Yeah?"

"If I do have to fight…" I muttered, "would you be able to meet up at Ashford?"

"Yeah, of course," Lelouch replied. "When do you think things might settle down?"

I shrugged. "It may be a while."

My phone began to vibrate in my pocket, bringing a cold sweat to my body. _What?! A call already?! The signal from Gino… what the hell could be going on?_

"Gino, is everything okay?" I asked once the phone was to my ear.

"Yeah, things are fine," Gino's voice replied. "I thought I'd let you two know that the prison has been blown to smithereens."

"GINO! THAT'S NOT FINE! THAT'S… THAT'S FAR FROM BEING FINE!!!" I shouted into the phone.

He chuckled. "Well, it's a good thing we had Lulu brought to your place, but there's one more thing I thought I'd let you know…"

I stood and peeked out the window; in the distance was the prison, a mass of flame and brick. How did we not hear or feel the explosion? "What is it?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"One of the prisoners who saw you leave with Lulu let the word leak; there's a force of knightmares coming your way."

"I thought you said they didn't bring any knightmares!"

"Yeah…" Gino's voice droned, "about that… The copters were just a diversion; all of them were automatically piloted. The Black Knights transported their forces via submarine, hiding themselves from the radar."

I sighed and turned to Lelouch, who looked back to me with an edge of fright. "What should we do?"

Gino's answer was simple:

"Get the hell out of there."


	9. On the Precipice of Defeat

"Q. 1, what is the status on Zero's location?"

Kallen pulled up the audio message on Guren's computer as she adjusted her earpiece. "He wasn't in the prison; C.C. even confirmed that," she replied.

The knightmare beside her turned slightly, the occupier asking, "With that in mind, where do we look next? If he's not here, where else can he be?"

"Why're you asking me?! I don't know anything, retard!" Kallen replied harshly before cutting off the transmission. She sighed, leaning back in her seat and rubbing her forehead. "C.C…" she mumbled, "what do we do next?"

C.C.'s voice crackled on the earpiece. "Q. 1, where are you currently located?"

Kallen blinked twice in confusion. "Why do you need to kno-"

"Q. 1, just answer the question."

Pulling up the area map, the girl replied, "To the southwest elven degrees. I'm close to a Britannian settlement area."

"Do you see a large sector quartered off?"

"Yeah," came the reply.

"Is there any way for you to get inside?"

"Why? You're not saying Lelouch might be there," Kallen said.

C.C. hesitated slightly. "I don't know, but Suzaku has already heard of us coming his way, and-"

"HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?!"

Sigh. "I can feel it, that's all. He's probably relocating to a building in the settlement area, one that he knows well. Lelouch is with him."

Kallen smirked as she leaned forward and gripped the controls. "C.C, you just made my day a hell of a lot better."

"Q. 1… leave the Guren behind."

Silence. Shock. "Why? I'll be guaranteed success if I take it with me!"

"You'll bring attention to yourself. The Knights of Rounds are going to come out soon," C.C. replied bluntly. "My knightmare's out of energy, so I can take care of the Guren for you."

The hatch flipped open as Kallen pushed herself out of the knightmare. "What should I do if I run into Suzaku and Lelouch?"

"Whatever you see best."

(~)

I peered through the glass doors, holding Lelouch to my side. "It looks clear… we should be safe here, as long as Gino doesn't tell anyone where we are."

Lelouch nodded as he followed me inside, careful to see that the door locked behind us. The main hall was deathly quiet, the only sound being our shoes thudding against the floor. Even our breath echoed softly against the walls. It seemed so strange to be here when the building was empty; it seemed almost haunted. A death aura hanging in the atmosphere.

"Suzaku… are you sure we'll be safe here?" I heard Lelouch ask. I turned to face him, smiling gently.

"Of course," I answered. "The Black Knights wouldn't dare send their forces here. I'm sure the blue prints they were able to get a hold of revealed the self destruct mechanism at the foundation."

My friend raised an eyebrow. "Why would such a mechanism be built in? Is this a laboratory or something?"

I tilted my head from side to side, choosing my words carefully. "Well, it's sort of a lab. This is where all of Lloyd's 'works-in-progress are stored."

"So he wants to keep data and projects out of enemy hands?"

"Exactly."

The walls and floor shuddered as the front door a hundred yards behind us opened and closed. Lelouch and I stopped in our tracks, staring at each other as we feared the worst. Looking over my shoulder, I saw a familiar figure standing there, a hate glare fixed on her sea blue eyes and her hand reaching for a gun. "Kallen…"

"Don't refer to me with such formality, traitor," she snapped back. "I don't have much dealings with you, so hand over Lelouch like a good boy and we can pretend this never happened."

My brow furrowed as I turned my body to face her, my own hand resting on my gun handle. "I'm sorry, but I can't quite do that. You see, I answer to the Emperor, not liars like you."

Lelouch took a step forward, his voice clear and authoritative. "I don't know what use you have with me, Kallen. However, even if I knew what you were talking about, I wouldn't side with terrorists."

Kallen shifted her weight on one foot, jutting out her hip. "I beg to differ." Then she pulled out the hand gun from its strap, taking a few steps forward as she added, "You wouldn't even be seeking protection from that wretch of a human. You were once with us, you know. You made Japan's liberation almost a reality, but that monster standing beside you ruined your plans, ruined our hopes… ruined Japan's future. Really, Lelouch… Zero, is that what you want to happen?"

He took a step back, his violet eyes wide with fear and confusion. "What? I'm not Zero! I would never do that to my home. I serve Britannia, not the Japanese!"

"Really?" Kallen asked, raising her gun at us. "If you were Zero, you'd tell me to shoot him right now. Say it, Lelouch. Give me the command, and I will follow through."

"Lelouch," I whispered, "no matter what happens, I want you to turn and run. Don't look back, you understand?"

He nodded. "But what will happen to you?"

"… just forget about me, 'kay?"

"Lelouch," Kallen called, "come back to the Black Knights… If you don't do it for our sake, at least… do it for Nunnally."

He hesitated. "Nunnally? Why would I take a risk for someone I don't know?"

"She was your sister, Lelouch," Kallen continued, "Nunnally vi Britannia. You don't remember her, I know. But know that she does exist and that she still loves you."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" I shouted, aiming my gun towards the window and shattering the glass with a singly bullet. "Kallen, your fight is not with him! It's with me, now finish what you came here to do!"

Kallen smirked, pulling out a three-inch blade knife from a pocket inside her boot. "You want me to?"

My eyes widened. _Shit… she could throw that at me or Lelouch as we ran… I had to get him out…_

"Lelouch, run!"

I saw her pull back the blade as he turned on his heel. I heard the whipping motion of the blade as it zipped through the air while I stepped between the weapon and my friend. I felt the piercing pain in my shoulder as the knife dug in to the hilt. "Damn it…" I gasped as I fell to one knee, clutching the wound.

_Good…_ I thought when the Lelouch's footsteps began to fade away, _he's out of harm's way…_

"What made you think I would injure him? That blade was meant for you the entire time," Kallen said before pulling the trigger.

I yelled and came down hard on the tile floor. The bullet had ripped through my leg, lodged between the muscle and bone. Gritting my teeth to keep from yelling, I lowered my weapon and pushed myself back on all fours. Kallen smirked, saying, "Tell me, Suzaku, how long did you think you could hide Lelouch from us? How long before you were at your breaking point?"

"You still don't understand…"

Kallen paused, scratching the back of her neck with her gun. "And what is it that I don't understand, hm?" she taunted.

I pressed hard against the wound in my leg as I stood; the bone felt as if it would snap at any moment. I had to get out of there somehow. "You don't see that Zero was using you? He used me, and we were the best of friends."

Her fist shook at her side. "I don't care what you say about him!" she shouted. "He was saving Japan… our people!"

"And why is it that thousands of innocent Japanese had to die?! Why did Euphie have to die?!" In my anger, I found the strength to stand straight. Fear filled Kallen's eyes as mine were filled with utter hate. "Euphemia was the only one who cared for me, understood me. Her plans would have led Japan to a time of peace. If Zero was as great a leader as the Black Knights say he was, how would you feel if he was murdered before your eyes? By the one you trusted most?"

Kallen's own glare shot back at me, equally filled with hate. "He was."

When I saw her move with her gun again, I aimed for the lights and pulled the trigger. All went dark, save for the reddish glow of the prison remnants in the distance. Dragging my wounded leg after me, I ran, barely escaping a few shots from an enraged Kallen.

Lelouch… I had to find him. What if he had been caught… maybe even killed? I couldn't call for him, or else Kallen would find me; his cell phone was kept safe in my back pocket; with the lights out, I couldn't see anything beyond two feet.

_Dammit… I'm running out of options…_

_Lelouch… where did you go?_


	10. Not Ready to Die

I could tell where I was by feeling along the walls; with the lights gone on the first floor, I had to find another source. The basement, as far as I knew, had back up electric power, but finding the stairway leading down there would be problematic. When I finally found the door to the basement, I was blinded with light, however dim it was. Closing the door behind me and leaning against the wall, I pulled out my pocket knife and dug through skin and muscle for the bullet in my leg. Cold beads of sweat slid down my face as I grit my teeth from the pain. A while later, the bullet fell to the concrete floor, shining a bright red. With the bullet out, my knee bent easily, but with great swelling pain. I rolled my wounded shoulder and sighed in bitter relief. "I can't move around the building like this…" I muttered to myself, "but if I can blow a hole in the ceiling, maybe Lelouch and Kallen would get out before the building collapses…"

That wouldn't give me much time to get out, though…

The basement, save for a few unfinished knightmares, was empty. I would explain to Lloyd later why one of his works went missing; he would understand… hopefully… Pulling out one of the ignition keys from Lloyd's desk, I limped over to its knightmare and lifted open the hull. "This is one of his new ones…" I whispered as I inserted the key and activated the machine. There was hardly any energy left in it, but at least that would allow me the chance to fire one shot in the ceiling. As I raised the lever to pull out the knightmare's gun, I froze when a shadow shifted across the wall.

"You thought you could run? Idiot, you left a trail of blood!" she shouted.

My eyes widened when she raised the gun and aimed for me. "Kallen! Stop!" I shouted, but it was too late. It was then that I regretted no pulling down the hull door shut when she pulled the trigger. Three shots, three bullets, three death sentences. The bullets grazed my side and lodged themselves in the control pad. Sparks flew and electrical circuits shot through the system as a warning flashed on the screen. "SHIT!"

I leapt down from the knightmare, but not before it erupted in flames and smoke. The explosion forced me head first into a wall, and sent me crashing into a pile of rubble. I watched through hazy vision as the other knightmares caught fire, and the walls and ceiling began to crumble. I stood, leaning against the wall for support before sinking back down to my knees.

_This pain…_

My ribs felt shattered. My head throbbed along with the constant pounding of my heart. I had seen death… I had seen my own life flash before my eyes even as I was thrown against the wall. Now, time became still. Kallen hadn't moved, a statue that threatened my existence. I pushed away the debris, crawling from my prison of rubble. I studied Kallen's glare, short painful gasps escaping my lungs.

"Why are you so adamant on keeping him?" she asked as she took a step forward. "He'll only do more damage to you than good."

"And so what if I want him to live?" I asked. "He willed me to live, so I at least owe him that in return." Then I scowled. "Besides, don't you have questions for him too?"

The Black Knight lowered her gaze to the floor. "Maybe I do…" she muttered softly. "But still…" She raised the gun, the red target laser aimed at my chest. "There's no room for you in my own questions for him."

I stood, pulling out my own weapon. "Kallen, I don't want to hurt you… we were once friends, right?"

"Suzaku… that was the past, old faded memories now. I hate you with all of my being. For Lelou-for Zero's sake… I want you to die."

Her fingers trembled as she began to pull the trigger. At least, that's what I thought. However, it wasn't Kallen's impending threat to kill me that caused me to pause… it was a voice, so distant and familiar."

"_Suzaku… live!"_

Years… ages… eons went slowly by as Kallen and I stood frozen, our weapons aimed at the other. Her movements were slow as she lowered the gun. I felt my own weapon slowly fall from my grip and thud to the rubble.

_Why? Why had time become so still?_

There was a scream… not one of anger or fear… not one of grief or shock… it was one of agonizing pain.

_Lelouch…_

I closed my eyes and shook my head, but the scream was still ringing in my ears. My eyes opened just as someone fell into my outstretched arms. Wide violet eyes stared up into mine, a pained gasp emitting from his throat.

"Su… zaku…"

I held my breath as realization hit both me and Kallen. "Dear… God…"

Lelouch's pained expression looked up at me, his lips slightly ajar as he fought for words. His already pale face turned a sickly white; cold sweat matted his dark hair to his forehead and neck. "Help me…" he gasped.

Kallen's weapon fell as she brought her hands to her face, almost as if she was trying to stifle back a scream. Tears brimmed her eyes. "Lelouch…" she choked as she reached out to help.

"Kallen… leave…"

The girl stopped at my command. "Why? I caused him as much pain as you did, so I should help!"

"You pulled the trigger first."

"I didn't mean to hurt him! I… I…"

"Just leave! I'm doing this for your own safety, dammit!" I shouted back.

She paused, her mouth still agape as she thought of how to reply… she couldn't. With a sigh, she bent to pick up her fallen weapon. "Fine," she muttered, "but I'll have you know that we won't stop, even after today. The Black Knights _will _have its leader back."

The she left. Turned on her heel and ran. I knew she was crying deep down; although she was strong for a girl, I knew she couldn't bear to watch her leader in pain. I looked back to Lelouch to see that his eyes had glazed over. "Hey, Lelouch. Wake up. Talk to me," I said as I patted the side of his face. He murmured something as he turned his head to the side and arched his back to sit up.

"Suzaku… I've been shot…" he muttered, as if in disbelief.

"Yeah, I know. It's only your shoulder… that won't kill you," I replied reassuringly while I helped him to his feet. The left side of his torso twitched, causing him to grit his teeth.

"I've… never been shot before…"

"Hurts, doesn't it?"

"Like hell."

I chuckled slightly as we limped out together, my leg dragging behind me. "I'm sure Gino can get the bullets out… he's a genius at medical stuff like that."

There was no response.

I looked over to him, shaking him lightly. "Neh, Lelouch? You awake?"

His head fell forward as he went suddenly limp, dragging me down with him. "Lelouch!" Setting him down on his back, I saw that his wide eyes had begun to roll to the back of his head.

He was dying…

Was this how Euphemia felt after she was shot by a loved one? Her own brother? I was such a hypocrite; for so long I hated Lelouch from claiming Euphemia's life, and yet I had shot my best friend. Other than pain, what did he feel? Hate towards me, or sympathy?

"Lelouch, come one, don't die on me!" I shouted, slapping the side of his face. When there was no response, I fumbled for my cell phone. Sliding off my glove, I ripped open Lelouch's jacket and pressed the cloth to the gaping wound in his shoulder while flipping open my phone and dialing Gino's cell.

"Yosh! Everything okay? Your building went black," Gino squeed as soon as he answered the phone.

"Now's not the time, Gino!" I shouted hastily. "We need you… now!"

"You sound out of breath, Kururugi… what have you been doing?"

"SHUT UP! Lelouch… he's been shot…"

Gasp. "He's been shot?! Suzaku, how could you have let that happen?"

"Gino… just get over here."

"Yes, I'll be there shortly."

There was a click on the other line as I flipped the phone shut. I knew he would be here shortly… but still, would it be enough?

"Su… Suzaku…"

At the sound of his voice, I leaned down and held on tightly to his cold hand. "Lelouch," I choked, "it's going to be okay….

I won't let you die…"


	11. Apathy for Apologies

"Suzaku, relax," Gino stated calmly. "He's okay."

I sighed. It had almost been seven hours since I watched Lelouch's dying form rushed to the E.R. And for almost seven hours, I had been sitting in the same seat, staring at my calloused hands. With Gino there, I could relax a little. "Why did he pass out like that? He was fine for a while, walking and everything."

"He must have gone into shock," Gino replied with a shrug. "The body does weird stuff like that." Then taking a seat next to me, he leaned back in the chair and folded his hands behind his head. "I will have to say this, though: I've never seen a wound like that before."

My eyebrow arched. "How so? They were only bullet wounds."

He took out a black filmy sheet holding it up to the light. My eyes narrowed as I studied the x-ray, but I still couldn't make out the forms. "Gino, I don't understand," I said slowly.

"See these two white spots?" he asked, pointing to the fuzzier areas. "These are the bullet entry wounds." Then he pulled out another sheet, holding it by the first. "That white mass is the final wound; essentially, what happened is that the bullets collided, making a gaping wound in the shoulder blade and muscle. You could say it was like a mini-explosion. The entire scenario is almost impossible to recreate, with the bullets actually hitting each other and yet coming from two guns... how the hell did you manage that?"

I lowered my head and rubbed at my tired eyes. "The Geass he put on me causes the physically impossible to happen… Honestly, I'm not surprised that happened."

We both went silent as Gino stuffed the x-rays back in the envelope folder and leaned back in his chair again. I looked down to my hands once more, watching as I twirled my thumbs; even after doing this for nearly seven hours, I couldn't find anything else better to do.

"Is he… angry with me?"

The Knight of Nine raised his brow as he looked down on me. "Eh? I dunno, why'd ya ask?"

"Because… I shot him…"

"You didn't mean it."

"… what if I did?"

"Because he killed your princess?"

"Yes…"

(~)

"Hey, howya feeling?" I asked as I lightly tapped my knuckles against the door.

Lelouch turned his head towards me, a small grin forming on his face. "Could be better… I think the drugs are getting to me, though."

I chuckled, taking a seat in the chair by the hospital bed. "I wouldn't be complaining, if I were you," I replied. Then I folded my hands together. "I don't know why all this happened… somehow I didn't see you coming."

He closed his eyes, sighing deeply. "Honestly, I can't tell you why, either. My memory's kind of fuzzy," he muttered. "The last thing I remember was running down the hall and hearing an explosion. After that…" his voice trailed, his words slurring slightly.

I reached over to rough up his hair, ignoring the stinging pain in my shoulder from the knife wound. "Don't try talking much," I said with a weak smile.

"I'm slurring my words, aren't I?"

"Yeah."

"Hmmm… figures… My head feels like it's floating…"

"Get some sleep," I said as I stood, wincing at the stinging sensation in my leg. "Until you sleep off the drugs, you won't be up and walking any time soon."

Before I could place my hand on the door knob to leave, I paused when I heard him ask, "Are you mad at me?"

_Was I? How could I be mad at him? Everything that happened this past week wasn't his fault… In reality… it was all mine…_

"How could I be mad at you? I'm the one at fault," I replied.

A curious expression furrowed his brow and wrinkled his nose. "Huh? How are you at fault? I was the one who got in the way. If I wasn't there, you wouldn't have been stabbed, and that girl would have left us alone. Neither of us would have been in harm's way."

I sighed, running my fingers through my thick brown hair as I thought. "No… it's my fault. If I never brought you here… if I never questioned you and your identity, the Black Knights would have never come here…"

_If I let you be, then I would have never had reason to doubt myself… or you…_

"Suzaku… don't take on the entire load; share it with me," he said softly, casting his eyes to the ground. "Just… don't be alone in this."

My eyes widened. What was he talking about? He… he couldn't be Zero, not talking like that… and yet, he was. "Man, those drugs are working wonders on you…"

A sparkle of mischievousness came to Lelouch's eyes. "Shut up, I was trying to say something deep and comforting. Are you trying to say that I'm high or something?"

I smirked in return. "Maybe I am."

(~)

That night, I woke in a cold sweat to find my covers kicked off and bundled at the foot of my bed. Sitting up and massaging my forehead, I let out an exhausted sigh. Then, with a disgruntled moan, I clambered out of my bed and into the bathroom, squinting my eyes after turning on the lights.

"God…"

I splashed cold water on my face, forcing myself to wake up. Glazed green eyes stared back at me as I studied myself in the mirror. Then I saw the bloodied bandage around my left shoulder, where the knife had plummeted in only half a day before. It took me a minute or so to notice the searing pain that spread through the entire left side of my torso.

"You… how did you open up?"

Massaging the pain away, I rummaged through my medicine cabinet, looking for some kind of pain killer. There was none. "Damn…"

After pulling on a white wife beater and adjusting my red plaid boxers around my hips, I stumbled like a drunk down the halls toward Lelouch's room, thinking he'd have some medication. "Tch… he'd better damn well have some medicine, or else something's wrong with him…"

No response came to the door when I knocked, so I figured he was asleep. I cautiously opened the door and peered in to see him there, with tired eyes closed and faint breaths escaping his parted lips. I gently brushed aside his bangs to uncover the small scar on his forehead from where the stitches once were.

"Hmm… Gino must have taken them out… they needed more time," I mumbled to myself. Then I looked over to the bedside table, smiling to myself at the sight of a medicine bottle. "Pain killers…"

After removing the bloodied bandages from my shoulder and downing two pills, I leaned back in the window sill, drawing my knees to my chest and gazing out at the night sky. Wondering. Debating silently with myself. Had I really woken up because of the pain in my shoulder?

Or was it because I still doubted my decisions, my thoughts…

My choices…

I raised my gaze once more to the stars, a grin forming when I caught sight of a small orb or bluish light: the star Euphemia had pointed out for me.

"_Neh, Suzaku-kun, do you see that star?"_

_I looked up to the sky, my eyes following to where Euphemia pointed. "Yeah, I see it."_

"_I want that to be our star," she said, a light blush coming to her pale cheeks._

_The star was the brightest one of them all, and yet it was also the smallest, shining down on us a pale blue glow. "Why that one, Euphie?" I asked, turning back to her._

_She chuckled sweetly as she propped herself up on her elbows, looking down at me while I lay motionless in the grass, my hands folded behind my head. "Because even though it's the smallest, it gives the brightest of light. It's like it's shining down a ray of hope for Japan," she replied._

_I closed my eyes, thinking over her words. "But our national symbol was the sun," I said, "a great orb of power and authority." When I opened my eyes again, Euphemia's gaze had fallen to the ground, her periwinkle eyes shining brightly. "Japan is no longer the sun, now," she answered carefully, "but sometimes the sun is not all-powerful… sometimes we need to look to the stars for hope… for a future…_

… _for redemption…"_

"Suzaku?"

I shook my head of those memories and wiped away the tears that began to stream down my face. "Oh, you're awake?" I asked, turning to my friend.

Lelouch nodded slowly, his eyes half open from sleep. "How long have you been sitting there?"

I could only shrug before turning back towards the sky. "Dunno… maybe forever," I muttered. "I needed some time to think, and I don't have a good view of the stars from my window."

"Liar; with the sky all around us, how can you not see it?" Lelouch asked with a chuckle.

I sighed, lowering my head away from the window to look back to my friend. "You're right… I came here to be redeemed."


End file.
